[Study on the cytotoxic and DNA damaging effects in oral mucosal fibroblasts by areca nut extract].

An aqueous areca nut extract (ANE) was tested for its cytotoxic effects on cultured human embryo oral mucosal fibroblasts (HE-OMF) in vitro by using the trypan blue and thiazolyl blue (MTT) assay. The ANE decreases the cell survival rate in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). So was the extract in inducing damage on the cellular DNA of HE-OMF in vitro examined by the nick translation assay. The increase in counts per minute (CPM) values was significant (P < 0.05) for comparing all four concentration groups tested, The results suggests that aqueous ANE is highly cytotoxic and capable to induce DNA damage on cultured HE-OMF. It may have potential carcinogenic effect on the oral mucosal membrane of whom habitually chewing the areca nut frequently for quite a long time. Futher study is required to illustrate the detail process and study the mechanism of these effects.